TERRAFORMING TERRA
We discuss and comment on the role agriculture will play in the containment of the CO2 problem and address protocols for terraforming the planet Earth.
A model farm template is imagined as the central methodology. A broad range of timely science news and other topics of interest are commented on.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Big Pharma Channeled Opioids to Black Market

This is of course, hardly a surprise and is a clear reprise of the tobacco industry feeding cigarettes to smugglers all over the world to circumvent taxation that had become too high to prevent such private profiteering.

Right now the industry is selling a legal line of opiates that clearly need to be withdrawn while fighting an effective line based on cannabis that is steadily progressing to full legal status similar to opiates. Unless you are blind dumb and stupid, they must lose. Tactical delays will only worsen the rising opiate crisis to levels which are unsustainable.

Same time the criminal element have fentanly which will bring all forms of drug criminalization to its knees and forces a completely different regime. It is now too easy to juice up a mere candy bar for criminals to miss the main chance and start set up the unsuspecting like you and me.

Meantime, more of the same. However the drop in opiate overdose rates in medical marijuana States inform us of a major part of the solution..

The opioid overdose epidemic in the U.S.
killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, which is more than any other
year on record, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). While the opioids referenced include both
heroin and prescription opioids, nearly half of overdose deaths involve
prescription drugs.1

Prescription opioids such as oxycodone
(OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine and methadone are widely
prescribed for pain relief. Initially, they were intended to treat
severe pain following surgery or injury or due to illnesses such as
cancer. However, they’re now increasingly prescribed for many types of
pain, including chronic back pain or pain from osteoarthritis.

Between 1999 and 2015, opioid
prescriptions nearly quadrupled in the U.S. despite reported pain levels
remaining stagnant. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids
similarly quadrupled, killing more than 183,000 Americans. By 2014
nearly 2 million Americans were dependent on or had abused the drugs2 — and the situation is only getting worse, with reports that opioid maker Purdue Pharma knowingly allowed its drugs to be funneled into the black market.

Drug Maker Sued for Funneling Pills Into the Black Market

Purdue Pharma is being sued by the city
of Everett, Washington, which has been hard-hit by deaths from opioid
painkiller and heroin abuse.

The suit alleges that Purdue Pharma,
which manufactures OxyContin, supplied the drug to “obviously suspicious
pharmacies and physicians, and enabl[ed] the illegal diversion of OxyContin into the black market” in the city.3

Mayor Ray Stephanson told CBS News that
the city has been significantly damaged and its resources, including
first responders and even crews cleaning up syringes in public parks,
have been significantly strained as a result of the drugs flowing into
their community.

The case against Purdue Pharma is built
around a 2016 investigation by the Los Angeles Times, which revealed
OxyContin was being trafficked illegally from California to Washington,
and suggested Purdue Pharma knew about it but did nothing to stop it.4

The drug maker is no stranger to litigation. CBS News reported:5

“In 2007, Purdue Pharma and its
executives paid more than $630 million in legal penalties to the federal
government for willfully misrepresenting the drug’s addiction risks.

“The same year, it also settled with
Washington and other states that claimed the company aggressively
marketed OxyContin to doctors while downplaying the addiction risk. As
part of that settlement, it agreed to continue internal controls to
identify potential diversion or abuse.”

Anyone Can Become Addicted to Opioids

Even when taken as directed,
prescription opioids can lead to addiction as well as tolerance, which
means you need an increasingly stronger dose to get the pain-relieving
effects. Physical dependence, in which you suffer withdrawal symptoms if
you stop taking the drugs, can also result, along with other issues
like increased sensitivity to pain, depression, low levels of
testosterone and more.6

“Anyone who takes prescription
opioids can become addicted to them. In fact, as many as [1] in [4]
patients receiving long-term opioid therapy in a primary care setting
struggles with opioid addiction. Once addicted, it can be hard to stop,” the CDC notes.7

According to the latest CDC statistics,
91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Unfortunately, the
opioid epidemic is spiraling out of control not only in the Everett
region but across the U.S.

Seventy Percent of Businesses Affected by Drug-Addicted Employees

“Drug poisonings, largely from
opioid painkillers, now eclipse car crashes as the leading cause of
preventable death among adults. Nearly half of Americans are personally
impacted by prescription drug addiction, with 44 percent knowing someone
who is addicted to a prescription pain reliever.

“Seventy-five percent of those
struggling with a substance use disorder are in the workforce, revealing
a hidden epidemic that many employers are struggling to address.” 9

According to a new report from the National Safety Council (NSC):

A staggering 70 percent of U.S. businesses say they have workers affected by prescription drug abuse.8

Seventy-one percent of the employers
surveyed agreed that such drug abuse is a disease, but 65 percent still
felt justified in firing an employee struggling with drug addiction.

Most employers said they felt
unprepared to respond to prescription drug abuse in the workplace, with
only 19 percent saying they feel “extremely prepared.”

Most companies lack training to help
employees spot signs of misuse, and while about 57 percent said they
conduct drug testing on employees, more than 40 percent do not screen
for synthetic opioids.

In addition, 88 percent of employers
reported interest in their insurer covering alternative treatments for
pain relief to help people avoid taking opioids, although 30 percent
said they would not take action to request such coverage from their
insurance companies.10

West Virginia Struggles to Keep up With Demand for Funerals

West Virginia has a $2 million annual
budget to provide funeral assistance for families who cannot afford
them. For the last five years, however, the program has been overwhelmed
with funerals, driven in part by the opioid epidemic. In 2017, the
program is nearly out of money four months before the end of the fiscal
year.11

West Virginia had the highest drug
overdose death rate in the U.S. in 2015, with 41.5 deaths per 100,000
residents — nearly three times higher than the U.S. average.

Among white males aged 15 to 34,
overdose fatalities account for more than 28 percent of deaths. West
Virginia funeral director Robert C. Kimes told The Washington Post:12

“When you get an overdose, typically
it’s going to be a younger individual who’s not financially in a great
position … I’ve heard from several funeral directors that the majority
of [overdose deaths they deal with] are addressed via the indigent
burial program.”

In Connecticut, meanwhile, the chief
medical examiner considered renting a refrigerated truck in 2016 to
store bodies because the storage space at the medical examiner’s office
is often maxed out.

The space shortage is attributed to rising drug overdose deaths, including opioid overdoses, which are pushing many medical examiner and coroner offices to their limits.

In areas like Cincinnati, Ohio, forensic
pathologists responsible for conducting autopsies on many such victims
conducted more than 325 autopsies in 2016. The National Association of
Medical Examiners’ accrediting program puts the limit at 325 a year, and
offices that conduct more risk losing accreditation.

Some coroners’ offices are also facing
backlogs of DNA testing for drug investigations, again in large part due
to overdose deaths.13

Drug Companies Ship 433 Pain Pills for Every Person in West Virginia

A Charleston Gazette-Mail investigation
in 2016 revealed that drug companies shipped 780 million hydrocodone and
oxycodone pills to West Virginia over a six-year period, during
which more than 1,700 state residents died from overdoses of the drugs.
That’s enough to provide 433 pills for every person (including children)
in the state.

As occurred in Washington, drug makers
seemingly looked the other way while shipping massive amounts of the
drugs to small mom-and-pop pharmacies. The Gazette-Mail reported:14

“For more than a decade, the same
distributors disregarded rules to report suspicious orders for
controlled substances in West Virginia to the state Board of Pharmacy,
the Gazette-Mail found.

“And the board failed to enforce the same regulations
that were on the books since 2001, while giving spotless inspection
reviews to small-town pharmacies in the southern counties that ordered
more pills than could possibly be taken by people who really needed
medicine for pain.

“As the fatalities mounted —
hydrocodone and oxycodone overdose deaths increased 67 percent in West
Virginia between 2007 and 2012 — the drug shippers’ CEOs collected
salaries and bonuses in the tens of millions of dollars. Their companies
made billions.”

State of Emergency Declared in Maryland

In Maryland, meanwhile, Gov. Larry Hogan
declared a state of emergency due to opioid addiction and pledged to
put another $50 million toward prevention, treatment and enforcement
services.

In the first nine months of 2016, nearly
1,500 Maryland residents were killed due to heroin and fentanyl (a
synthetic opioid) overdoses, many of whom initially became addicted to
prescription painkillers, The Washington Post reported. This is a 62
percent increase from the previous year.15

While the state has yet to detail how
the emergency declaration will help stop overdose deaths, it’s expected
that law enforcement, social services and public health providers would
be coordinated to help achieve the goal. To date, the governor rejected a
proposal to create safe sites where heroin users can access clean
needles and be monitored to prevent overdose.

A report from the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health recommended two “safe-drug consumption
spaces” be opened in the city of Baltimore, citing similar programs
that have been started in cities like Vancouver, which have seen a
decrease in overdose deaths.16

Young Mothers Prescribed Poison

Addictive and potentially deadly opioid
drugs are also being prescribed to women who have just given birth,
putting them and their children at serious risk.

One study in Obstetrics and Gynecology
revealed that more than 1 in 10 Medicaid-enrolled women filled a
prescription for an opioid following vaginal delivery to treat
post-delivery pain.17 Fourteen percent of them then went on
to fill a second prescription within six to 60 days after delivery.
Separate research has also shown that 1 in 300 women who fill a
prescription for opioids following cesarean delivery go on to become
persistent users.18

A second study revealed that young
children of mothers prescribed opioids were at a significantly increased
risk, by 2.5 times, of overdose.19 Among children, 1 in 10
of overdoses occurred in infants under 1 year, while half occurred in
children 2 years or younger. Study co-author Dr. Yaron Finkelstein told
Forbes:20

“One or two tablets of an opioid can
be very risky and potentially fatal to a toddler … Obviously, pain
needs to be addressed and properly managed. But when physicians
prescribe, I think they should consider alternatives to opioids,
alternatives that are less addictive, as well as dispensing smaller
amounts so there’s none left over in the house that might be accessed by
young children.”

Heroin Overdoses Quadrupled in 5 Years

From 2010 to 2015, the number of people
who died from heroin overdoses quadrupled in the U.S., reaching nearly
13,000 overdose deaths in 2015. The data, from the National Center for
Health Statistics, points to the growing severity of the prescription
opioid epidemic as well, as people who use the prescription drugs are 40
times more likely to use heroin — a much cheaper stand-in for
prescription pills.21

The state of Massachusetts also cited a
24 percent rise in opioid overdose deaths compared to last year,
including from fentanyl, a drug that is 50 to 100 times more powerful
than morphine. According to the CDC:22

“ … most recent cases of
fentanyl-related harm, overdose and death in the U.S. are linked to
illegally made fentanyl. It is sold through illegal drug markets for its
heroin-like effect. It is often mixed with heroin and/or cocaine as a
combination product — with or without the user’s knowledge — to increase
its euphoric effects.”

Massachusetts now has a law in effect
that is intended to help fight opioid addiction by putting a seven-day
limit on first-time prescriptions for opioid pain relievers.23

Non-Drug Solutions for Pain Relief

Not everyone who takes a prescription
opioid will wind up an addict, but the risk is real. This is why I
strongly recommend exhausting other options before you resort to an
opioid pain reliever, especially for mild to moderate pain. The health
risks associated with these drugs are great and addiction and overdose
happen far more often than you might think.

\

If you have chronic pain of any kind,
please understand that there are many safe and effective alternatives to
prescription and even over-the-counter painkillers. The pain remedies
that follow are natural, providing excellent pain relief without any of
the health hazards that pain medications often carry.

Astaxanthin: One of the most effective oil-soluble antioxidants known, astaxanthin
has very potent anti-inflammatory properties. Higher doses are
typically required and one may need 8 milligrams or more per day to
achieve this benefit.

Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.

Curcumin: Curcumin
is the primary therapeutic compound identified in the spice turmeric.
In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added only 200
milligrams of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain
and increased mobility.24 In fact, curcumin has been shown in
over 50 clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory activity, as
well as demonstrating the ability in four studies to reduce
Tylenol-associated adverse health effects.

Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian
frankincense,” this herb contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties,
which have been prized for thousands of years. This is one of my
personal favorites, as I have seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Bromelain: This protein-digesting enzyme, found in
pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in
supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful. Keep in
mind that most of the bromelain is found within the core of the
pineapple, so consider leaving a little of the pulpy core intact when
you consume the fruit.

Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish
and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory. I
have used a topical preparation for myself to relieve ganglion cysts
and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too
much on non-ergonomic keyboards.

Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream,
this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by
depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of
nerve cells that transmit pain signals to your brain.

Dietary Changes and Additional Pain Relief Options

When physicians don’t know how to
effectively treat chronic pain, they resort to the only treatment they
know: prescription drugs, which will do nothing to solve the underlying
reasons why you’re in pain. Toward that end, if you suffer from chronic
pain, there’s a good chance you need to tweak your diet as follows:

Start taking a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil.Omega-3 fats
are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. (In
fact, that is how anti-inflammatory painkillers work: they positively
influence prostaglandins.) The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA contained in
krill oil have been found in many animal and clinical studies to have
anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial for pain relief.

Reduce your intake of most processed foods
as not only do they contain sugar and additives, but also most are
loaded with omega-6 fats that upset your delicate omega-3 to omega-6
ratio. This, in turn, will contribute to inflammation, a key factor in
most pain.

Eliminate or radically reduce most grains and sugars
(especially fructose) from your diet. Avoiding grains and sugars will
lower your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels
are one of the most profound stimulators of inflammatory prostaglandin
production. That is why eliminating sugar and grains is so important to
controlling your pain.

Optimize your production of vitamin D
by getting regular, appropriate sun exposure, which will work through a
variety of different mechanisms to reduce your pain. This satisfies
your body’s appetite for regular sun exposure.

Finally, the natural pain-relief methods that follow are useful for ongoing and lasting pain relief and management:

Chiropractic adjustments:
According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and
funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), patients with neck
pain who used a chiropractor and/or exercise were more than twice as
likely to be pain-free in 12 weeks compared to those who took
medication.25

Massage: Massage
releases endorphins, which help induce relaxation, relieve pain and
reduce levels of stress chemicals such as cortisol and noradrenaline.

Acupuncture: Researchers concluded that acupuncture has a definite effect in reducing chronic pain such as back pain and headaches — more so than standard pain treatment.26

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About Me

Apr 2017 - 4.1 Mil Pg Views, March 2013 - Posted my paper introducing CLOUD COSMOLOGY & NEUTRAL NEUTRINO rigorously described as the SPACE TIME PENDULUM, September 2010 I am pleased to report that my essay titled A NEW METRIC WITH APPLICATIONS TO PHYSICS AND SOLVING CERTAIN HIGHER ORDERED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS' has been published in Physics Essays(AIP) and appeared in their June 2010 quarterly. 40 years ago I took an honors degree in applied mathematics from the University of Waterloo. My interest was Relativity and my last year there saw me complete a 900 level course under Hanno Rund on his work in relativity,as well as differential geometry(pure math) and of course analysis. I continued researching new ideas and knowledge since that time and I have prepared a book for publication titled Paradigms Shift&. I maintain my blog as a day book and research tool to retain data and record impressions and interpretations on material read. Do join my blog and receive Four items of interest daily Monday through Saturday.